Jelly desserts are a favorite treat for both adults and kids. They are bright, colorful and, of course, extremely tasty!
Of course, when the need appears to preserve them longer, especially in summer, a question may occur of whether it is possible to freeze jello.
We have made a research and now we are ready to share with you what will happen if we put jello in the freezer!
Still curious?
Then keep on reading!
Freezing Gelatin Nuances
Before we dive into the nuances of storing gelly in the freezing camera and give an answer to the thrilling question of “can you freeze gelatin?”, it would be nice to figure out what gelatin is at all and whether it can be exposed to the influence of frost.
Briefly:
Well, you probably might not be aware of it but gelatin is a food product that is derived from different parts of animals. Yes, the major forming ingredient in our beloved jellies has an animal origin! Because of this reason, vegetarians don’t consume traditional jellies replacing them with those made with agar-agar jelly agent that is derived from the plant.
Gelatin itself has no color, no taste, and no flavor. That is why it is so widely used in various jellied desserts since it is easier to give them the desired color, taste, and flavor using food colorings and flavorings.
As a prudent housewife, you definitely know that many products and many kinds of food are not freezer-friendly.
Some can separate because of the exposure of frost whereas others change their texture so significantly that nothing else is left than discarding the spoiled and ruined product with regret.
And of course, let’s not forget about the food that can’t be frozen at all.
Why does it happen, you may ask? The major reason is what a certain product is made of since not all the ingredients tolerate the frost.
As for gelatin, the products that have it posses that elastic texture due to the bonds that gelatin makes with other molecules.
Regarding this issue, it is time to ask: can gelatin be frozen?
What Happens When You Freeze Jello?
If you never put jelly to the freezing camera, it would be good to learn what might happen in case you do toss some jello in the freezer.
Let’s agree that it would not be nice to freeze some deserts before the party hoping to enjoy them with the friends and then find out that the jelly yummies are completely ruined!
Does jello freeze?
Well, yes, jello can definitely become frozen when being put to the freezing camera. Moreover, frozen jello will not become harder, unlike liquid desserts and drinks.
Will freezing affect the texture of jello?
Unfortunately, it will. No matter what rumors you have heard about this, the truth is that when we freeze jello and then unfreeze it, the desserts loses its elastic texture and separate. And believe us, nobody would like to eat what is taken out of the freezer because it won’t look much appetizing.
- Will jello lose its taste if we freeze it?
The exposure of frost will not influence the taste of jello but is it matter so much? The texture – and, respectively, the appetizing looks of the dessert – will be ruined so nobody would care about how it tastes.
- Can jello shots be frozen?
Jello shots, just like the alcohol-containing jelly desserts, will not freeze completely. The freezing temperature for alcohol is much lower than the one we have in the freezing camera so, as for freezing jello shots, no matter how long we keep them in there, they won’t get hard.
Keeping these simple tips in mind will help to avoid any incidents with jellied desserts. But if it can’t be frozen, how to store jello then?
If it’s prepared jello, the best place for it would be the fridge. However, unopened jello cups are safe to keep in the cupboard, only make sure that it is no more than twenty-three degrees warm there. In its turn, the dry jello mix needs to be kept in a cool and dry place protected from moisture and heat.
How Long Can Jello Spend In the Freezer?
People often think that exposure of frost will extend the lifespan of the jelly dessert but it is not so.
Even when being set to the freezing camera, frozen gelatin will start spoiling after ten days at most.
So the best that one can do is to consume the dessert on the day it was prepared.
Can Jello Go Bad?
It may surprise you but jello does go bad after a while!
The dessert without any additives like fruit or berries normally lasts for ten days at most whereas the one that has fruit or other organic additives in it will remain edible for up to a week.
But still, sooner or later it will get rancid.
The first caution sign is the watery liquid that appears on the surface of the dessert. Also, the taste will change from sweet to bitter and it will smell kind of sharp.
Dark mold is another alarming sign.
If any of these are found, discard the jelly with no regret.
As a matter of fact, jello is very tasty and, in a way, a useful dessert. It has few calories and no fat which makes it safe to consume for those who care about their weight and figure. In addition, gelatin that this dessert contains is rich in protein and other healthy components.
Consuming gelatin regularly contributes greatly to our bones’ health and strength, as well as improves the health of joints.
As a bonus, gelatin-containing dessert will improve our skin and hair looks making them stronger and healthier. Only make sure that you choose the healthy sugar-free jellies or make them at home including some natural ingredients like fruit or berries.
And of course, whenever you want to treat your friends or guests with jello yummy, remember that it’s better to refrigerate it than toss to freeze if you want to enjoy the dessert instead of discarding it.
